US Senior Citizens Increasingly Dying from Falls

[Ronni]

I’ve been tripped by my dogs and have gone down HARD! Huge bruise on my hip one time, and scraped knees and heel of my hand another. Before that, it was a couple of dance falls…a couple crashing into me and my dance partner one time, and another doing West Coast and my partner let go of my hand at the wrong time.

I get a bone density test every couple years and no signs of osteoporosis. I walk 2-3 miles a day and maintain a healthy diet (lots of fruits and veggies, protein, no processed food and low carbs) and I think all that contributes to strong bones.

While I definitely don’t have the balance I used to have, it’s a long way from being a problem, and I do everything I can with diet and exercise to prevent it being a problem for as long as I possibly can!

 

[MoBeans]

Every year at my physical my Dr. says the same thing. "If you remember nothing else from today's visit remember this. Do Not Fall."

 

[JustDave]

The big question for me halfway through this thread is not about precautions we need to take, but the cause of the 70% increase over the last 10 years. If we understood what that was, we could better figure out the solutions. Maybe the data is wrong. Maybe it was under reported in the past. If so, it may be just something that happens to old people, and all we can to is remind ourselves to be careful.

Edit: As Mo's doctor says, "Do not fall."

 

[Brookswood]

There are several factors that contribute to falls that are age related. Leg muscle strength decline, balance, eyesight and cognitive. I've tripped and fallen a couple times in the last year or so, not detecting a tripping hazard, having 12 things going through my mind and not paying attention.

If you have the progressive glasses be careful. I had issues going down steps. For some reason I didn’t see the steps correctly. It turned out that i was looking at the steps through the distance area of my glasses (10+ feet away). When I bent my head down and looked through the area designed for closer objects, the stairs became clear.

 

[Pepper]

I keep saying my mantra is don't fall. I fell this morning. It was so stupid. I was sitting on the toilet and I pitched forward, banging my head on the door and falling to the floor. Couldn't move for a bit, but got up, no worse off, but feeling weird. I was sitting, after all, so it was unexpected. Did I get dizzy or something? I don't know.

 

[Imogene]

I think that study should’ve taken itse one step further and separated out those of us who have their own homes and do our own outside work, versus those who live in apartments and take long walks on the beach and that’s it.

It’s all about losing muscle and balance. I have Grade II spondylosis. Every doctor I have ever seen has told me the only thing I have going for me is my muscle strength and that I need to keep doing Barn work no matter how much it hurts.

along with doing our best to keep our muscle strength, we have to be more mindful than we were in our younger days of other issues like vertigo, lightheadedness. Plain and simple, we just are not who we used to be. Those who think they are the same as they used to be are the ones that usually end up getting hurt.

FWIW, I also started taking Caltrate 600+ D3 bone strength, vitamins. I figured if the cancer doctor told my husband to take them during his cancer treatments that it was good enough for me.

Every little thing helps from being super alert and aware to trying to get outside and do work that actually forces your leg, back, shoulder and arm muscles to do something productive. I know that’s not possible for many but still you have to try.

 

[Murrmurr]

There are several factors that contribute to falls that are age related. Leg muscle strength decline, balance, eyesight and cognitive. I've tripped and fallen a couple times in the last year or so, not detecting a tripping hazard, having 12 things going through my mind and not paying attention.

The first factor I thought of is isolation. More old folks dying from a fall indicates to me that old folks are more isolated than they used to be, and they're not getting help from family, neighbors, and friends. Maybe people don't care as much as they used to. Maybe they're too wrapped up in their own lives.

It's either that, or today's seniors are less likely to ask for help when they should. That could be it.

 

[Pepper]

Both scenarios are sad @Murrmurr

 

[Elsie]

I keep saying my mantra is don't fall. I fell this morning. It was so stupid. I was sitting on the toilet and I pitched forward, banging my head on the door and falling to the floor. Couldn't move for a bit, but got up, no worse off, but feeling weird. I was sitting, after all, so it was unexpected. Did I get dizzy or something? I don't know.

Sudden drop in blood pressure from 'straining'?

 

[Pepper]

Sudden drop in blood pressure from 'straining'?

I don't think I was straining, but you're making sense.

 

[Marcy Sheiner]

I think the issue of not paying attention is a big factor in falls. I had a friend who kept falling outdoors, on uneven pavement mostly, and hurt herself several times. Around that time, we went one day to the park, walking, and she was talking to me and totally not looking where she was going. I caught her before she hit the ground and then I told her, "You don't seem to be paying attention." I'd like to say that from then on she never fell again, but alas that is not the case.

 

[againstthegrain]

I keep saying my mantra is don't fall. I fell this morning. It was so stupid. I was sitting on the toilet and I pitched forward, banging my head on the door and falling to the floor. Couldn't move for a bit, but got up, no worse off, but feeling weird. I was sitting, after all, so it was unexpected. Did I get dizzy or something? I don't know.

Sounds scary, are you ok?

 

[OldOld]

The first factor I thought of is isolation. More old folks dying from a fall indicates to me that old folks are more isolated than they used to be, and they're not getting help from family, neighbors, and friends. Maybe people don't care as much as they used to. Maybe they're too wrapped up in their own lives.

It's either that, or today's seniors are less likely to ask for help when they should. That could be it.

If that's the case, why not move to a retirement community or assisting living facility?

 

[VaughanJB]

If that's the case, why not move to a retirement community or assisting living facility?

Cost? Independence?

 

[Pepper]

Sounds scary, are you ok?

Thanks, but I'm never ok anymore. Doesn't feel "right," I don't feel right anymore.

 

[GP44]

I snagged the bottom of my pants leg on a metal chute guard I made for my mower as I walked past it.
It caused me to have a nasty fall on my right side.
Other than the pain and bruising I think I got off lucky.
I told my wife that I wouldn’t mention that to the medical community when they ask for fear that they would have me doing therapy.
She teased me for a while with the old advertisement “ help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”
In reality getting back up for me is a lot harder than any injury I have had from falling.

 

[GP44]

Cost? Independence?

True True! There’s no place like home!

 

[feywon]

I don't think I was straining, but you're making sense.

My first thought was 'vasovagal response'. You may not have felt like you were straining, but there may have been enough pressure on the vagus nerve to cause you to faint. I would, even if no lasting damage mention it to doctor at next visit.

 

[GP44]

I keep saying my mantra is don't fall. I fell this morning. It was so stupid. I was sitting on the toilet and I pitched forward, banging my head on the door and falling to the floor. Couldn't move for a bit, but got up, no worse off, but feeling weird. I was sitting, after all, so it was unexpected. Did I get dizzy or something? I don't know.

I have noticed that I start getting dizzy while sitting on the toilet and when I strain too long at times.
When I notice that I am getting dizzy I rest for a minute.
I am drinking no sugar added pineapple juice right now because I have been having a harder time the last day or so.
I’ll bet a lot of young people could never imagine all of things we have to do as we get older.
At times I would like to let them know but more than likely they won’t care until it happens to them.
I really do appreciate all I learn from this forum. I knew I needed to connect with people my age.

 

[Elsie]

I don't think I was straining, but you're making sense.

Fainting Episodes: Known as vasovagal syncope, this occurs when a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure leads to dizziness or loss of consciousness

 

[Elsie]

Pepper, probably nothing serious in your case. Just mention it to your doctor, see what he thinks about it.

 

[oscash]

How old was he?

About 80.

 

[Jules]

My mother had a few falls, mainly from moving around too quickly. I need to remind myself not to do this. Then she had a fall and broke some ribs when she was ~93. The doctor at the hospital warned me that many seniors don’t make it through this. Then at 96 she fell getting out of a chair and ended up in hospital and bed stay at the seniors’ home. That was it. She had been saying it was time.

 

[WhatInThe]

There are several factors that contribute to falls that are age related. Leg muscle strength decline, balance, eyesight and cognitive. I've tripped and fallen a couple times in the last year or so, not detecting a tripping hazard, having 12 things going through my mind and not paying attention.

Hips and lower back my killer. Feels like I'm walking on stilts some days.